wiswell



(No Model.)

P. A. WISWELL.

STRAND PORMER'OR DIE. No. 339,357. Patented Apr, 6, 1886.

M6683 mam? wfl/ 22 1% E WLAXDM.

"7 lo WM Z7 M mm??? Unirsn STATES FREDERICK A. \VISWELL, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CAXADA.

STRAND FORMER on DIE.

EAZ ECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,357, dated April 6. 1886.

Application filed August 30, 1854. Serial No. 141,808. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK ALONZO ViiIswnLr, of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Strand Formers or Dies used in the Manuihcture of lVire Rope, of which the following is a specification.

The object to be attained is to so construct a pair of half-dies that they shall fit any size of strand from the largest capacity of the machine to which they are attached to the smallest, and thus obviate the necessity for a particular set of dies for each size of strand.

My invention consists in pivoting to asuitable base or frame a pair of quadrant-shaped dies having an increasing half-circle groove in each of their peripheries from their back to front edges in such manner that when their peripheries are contiguous and in the same relative though reverse position the two halfcircle grooves will form a complete circle whose diameter will be determined by the position in which the quadrants may be retained.

My invention also consists in providing the frontedges of the dies with springs projecting back of the pivotal points, where they may be retained at any desired point and thus adj ust the said dies or strand-formers so that the halfcircle grooves may be coincident in diameter and of the desired size.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved strand-former and one form of holder. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a horizontal section of the dies on line a: 00, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a side elevation of my strand-former, showing it as in use. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a strand-spinning head, showing the relation of my strand-former therewith.

The die holder or frame A is of preferred construction, to which are pivoted by screws or studs 0 c the quadrant-shaped blocks or dies B B,whose opposite or meeting faces form the arcs of circles which are concentric with the studs c c. The faces of the blocks are each provided with a half-circle groove of increasing diameter and depth from one end to the other, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, thus providing,when the faces of the dies meet, acircular opening of greater or less diameter, according to the position in which the dies are retained by means of the springs to be presently mentioned.

The dies B B are provided with the springs (Z d, which project in opposite directions and govern the position of said dies by means of the engaging pins 6 c, which are inserted in the desired one of a series of holes across the holder A to correspond with the are or sweep described by the outer end of the spring d or d.

The object to be attained by using the springs (Z d is, first, to provide a yielding pressure on the strand at all times, and next to allow any imperfection or projection-such as a kink or splice in the wire-to rotate the strand formers or dies 13 Bin being drawn through said dies, which is accomplished by the yielding of the springs until the increasing grooves in the faces'of the dies 13 B has arrived at a point sufficiently large to permit the enlargement to pass, when the opening for the strand will be immediately contracted to the normal size of the strand, thus preventing the breakage of the dies or the holder, or even the strand itself, by reason of the greatly increased tension on the rope due to the crooked or uneven place in said strand. I am aware that springs are sometimes used on half-dies or strand-formers, but these permit the enlargement only in one direction, away from each other, thus leaving a space between the dies, while by the use of the device herein shown the strand space or opening is always circular and always binds on every side or peripheral portion of the strand.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination, with a holder, of a pair of oppositely-arranged movable dies pivoted to said holder and provided with partially circular contiguous faces, the face of each die having a semicircular groove of increasing diameter and depth from one end to the other, a pair of springs secured one to each die, and suitable known adj usting means to retain the springs in variable position and provide the dies with variable spring resistanoe, substantially as and for the purpose set In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed forth. my name in the presence of two subscribing 2. lhe combination, with a frame or holder witnesses.

provided with two series of holes and the pins, of a, pair of oppositely-arranged dies FREDERICK A. \VIS\VELL.

pivoted to theholder and provided with partially circular faces having the semicircular Witnesses:

grooves of increasing diometerand depth from W. H. FELLOW,

end to end, and a pair of springs secured one i S. J. TAYLOR.

10 to each die, as and for the purpose specified. 

